Khormire's Bane
by Totem Of Storms
Summary: My effort at applying for a writer's job with the Black Library/ Games Workshop, this gamebook covers some of the history, rules, scenarios and missions relating to the Space Hulk which became known as Khormire's Bane. Anyone wanting to make use of this for any of their own games may feel free to do so.


**Space Hulk: Khormire's Bane**

**Backstory**

**Name:** Khormire's Bane

**Infestation:** Chaos {sub-classification: Nurglite} (452.M41 – 783.M41)/ Tyranids {Hive Fleet: Behemoth} (783.M41 – present)

Khormire's Bane first appeared in 452.M41, dropping out of the Warp and falling into a seemingly stable deep orbit around the second world in the Tatchis system. The second world was primary used for mining purposes owing to its massive deposits of both raw metals and promethium, and the incursion of Chaos forces there was a major blow to the sub-sector.

Elements of the Blood Angel and Dusk Raider Space Marine Chapters were both dispatched to deal with the situation, along with major elements of the Battlefleet Serverus and sixty regiments of Imperial Guard from the local sub-sector. Warmaster Octarian planned and executed what became known as his most famous manoeuvre when he managed to arrange for most of the battlegroup elements to drop out of the Warp almost on top of the Hulk, a move that would have been impossible had it been in a tighter orbit.

Force Commander Sallis Khormire of the Blood Angel fourth Company led the overall assault, accompanied by Inquisitor Bromord. Khormire led the assault on the Hulk, whilst Bromord led the effort to cleanse the second planet of the Chaos taint.

Bromord found a ritual in progress on the planet, as well as the entire population having been corrupted, and called upon much of the reserve forces in order to cleanse the heretics before they could unleash whatever forces they had been building up.

As the reserves were drawn away however Khormire's primary element came under attack from additional forces, including several larger demons. Khormire personally carried a transponder into the heart of the enemy forces, allowing the Battlefleet forces to target it with devastating firepower.

Though he survived the bombardment, Khormire suffered greatly on the Space Hulk. His control of himself and of the Black Rage was nearly crippled.

The Hulk vanished from the solar system just before the final evacuation, leaving nearly twenty Astartes and over a thousand Guardsmen aboard it when it left. The Dusk Raiders counted the loss of only regular forces, whilst the Blood Angels found themselves regretting the loss of three Terminators that had fallen in battle.

* * *

The Hulk next reappeared in the Cumbriar system in 563.M41, falling in towards the agrarian planets and unleashing its cargo not only of Chaos Marines and demon, but tainted Space Marines of the Blood Angels and Dusk Raiders, and the tainted Guardsmen as well.

The Blood Angels fell upon the Hulk once more as it swung into a complicated orbit that saw it ricocheting from one planet in the system to another by a series of orbital slingshots. On one of its five month treks between worlds, the Blood Angels dropped in.

Khormire led the assault once more, determined to make up for what he had seen as a major failure on his part in allowing the Hulk to wound him so badly in their first encounter.

The Astartes were able to recover one of the suits of Terminator armour that had been lost, however they were unable to find the second. The third they were forced to destroy when the Battle Brother still wearing it was discovered to be tainted and began to attack them.

A counterattack on the Battle Barge Terra In Motion forced them to divert their forces from their primary objective. Though they were able to repel the attack they lost the Tome of Megnalus (an Adeptus Mechanicus manual containing classified details about weapon designs), and the Chalice Of The Red Cross (an artefact blessed by the Ecclesiarch to aid in withstanding the Black Rage in those who drink from it).

Khormire was wounded during the repulsion, losing a leg and arm to enemy fire. Though physically restored to full health and declared fit for duty once more six weeks later, he was aggrieved at having been denied the destruction of the Hulk once more, and tortured by nightmares of the Chaos rituals and runes that he had seen within the Hulk.

The second planet in the Cumbriar system was subjected to extreme scrutiny by the Inquisition relating to the numerous Nurglite cults that had sprung up there. The third planet was subjected to Exterminatus when it was discovered that Cultists had managed to leave tainted crops there and 87% of the farmland was deemed to be unsalvageable.

* * *

In 702.M41 the Hulk reappeared once more. This time it appeared in the Vearmark system during the massed invasion by the Khornate cult known as the Blasphemers.

The native inhabitants of the system, embattled and praying for the Warp tides to bring help quickly were granted a temporary reprieve when the two Chaos armies set to trying to kill each other rather than uniting.

Khormire once more led the Blood Angels, this time aided by the Dusk Raiders again and further assisted by the Dark Templar chapter, on a massive assault. Whilst Battlefleet Serverus annihilated the Blasphemers the Astartes set to the task of once and for all dealing with the Hulk.

Reinforced by twenty regiments of Guard during the first days of the assault, though that number quickly growing to eighty over the next three weeks as further forces arrived, the Space Marines moved into the Hulk and began cleansing it.

Progress was slow; parts of the Hulk had been sufficiently affected by its time in the Warp that time and space had begun to unravel through some areas; communications issues as squads responded to orders that wouldn't be issued for another two hours, or became lost in the impossible twists and demon-infested turns of the Hulk forced everything to move at a snail's pace.

Khormire finally found his death against the Hulk during the final day of the assault, nearly eight weeks into the assault. The cultists, realising that their cause was lost unless they did something dramatic, were able to summon several Great Unclean Ones, as well as lesser demons and monstrosities from the Warp. Khormire fought these alongside fifty Battle Brothers before calling down fire upon his own position once more. In death he took not only the Daemons, but the majority of the cult's leadership with him, as well as an estimated 97% of the Chaos Marine forces.

Vearmark was spared anything more than cursory attention from the Inquisition at the time, though two generations later a major Inquisitorial taskforce was deployed to the system when home-grown cults began to lay claim to several Hive cities. The principle local casualties were taken from a lunar Hive city when one of the warships from Battlefleet Serverus crashed into it following extensive battle damage.

The Hulk was reclassified as Khormire's Bane following its retreat into the Warp.

* * *

At some point during 783.M41 the Hulk once again came out of the Warp. Despite the reinforcements that they had gained during their time in the Warp it is clear from recordings recovered from the Hulk during later visits that the cultists were not up to facing down a Tyranid invasion.

A splinter fleet of Hive Fleet Behemoth fell upon the Hulk. Exact details are sketchy, however it is clear that the Chaos forces had no idea what they were facing and succumbed quickly to the invading forces. They were, as a final act of spite, able to drop the Hulk back into the Warp with the Tyranids still onboard it. This fact led to the reduction in the Tyranid forces faced by the Dusk Raiders during the Tyranid invasion of Heptarsis during 791.M41 and the subsequent Imperial victory there.

* * *

The Hulk came out of the Warp unexpectedly in 855.M41, careering into the outer edges of the Temparis system and falling into a slow elliptic orbit that would bring it close to the Forge World within two years.

Blood Angel forces once again descended on the Hulk, determined to cleanse it of Chaos forces once and for all. Aided by an Inquisitorial taskforce, and a hundred regiments of Guardsmen, the Blood Angels charged in and found themselves figuratively falling against an open door.

The Tyranid forces had withdrawn inside the Hulk, many of them being broken down for raw biomass in the reclamation pools that they dug in the central sections of the Hulk. Genestealers, both those belonging to Behemoth directly and those spawned of the Chaos cultists, were the primary forces left intact and were the first to make their presence felt against the Imperials, launching hit-and-run attacks, claiming nearly a thousand casualties, including fifty Space Marines before the forces in command became truly aware of what it was that they were up against.

Rallying themselves the Imperial forces changed their tactics, moving slower and more carefully as they worked their way through the Hulk, slowly uncovering a picture of what had happened over the centuries from the records left behind.

Three months into the assault on the Hulk it became apparent that it was being drawn back into the Warp once more. Under the cover of the Imperial evacuation the Tyranids were able to infest over nine hundred Guardsmen with the Genestealer seed and to launch an assault against the Forge World directly as well. The majority of their forces though were left onboard the Hulk when it dropped once more into the Warp.

Three regiments of Guardsmen and sixteen Battle Brothers failed to evacuate in time before the Hulk dropped into the Warp. They, and their transports, were last seen fighting off waves of Genestealers, Hormagaunts and Warriors.

* * *

**Campaign Objectives and Obstacles**

Further encounters with Khormire's Bane will involve searches for the following:

Tome of Megnalus

Chalice Of The Red Cross

One suit of Terminator armour from the original assault as well as three others lost or partially destroyed since then

Numerous suits of standard Space Marine armour and the geneseed from the accompanying remains

The Spirit of Khormire (a Reaver Battle Titan) was deployed during the final assault in 855.M41 but contact was lost prior to it landing and it was never recovered; visual scans during the final evacuation suggested that it was still intact and might be recovered

Those searching should be wary of the following:

Genestealers are prevalent in the Hulk, but other Tyranids will sometimes be encountered as well

Chaos forces were observed during the 855.M41 assault emerging from areas where time was distorted, apparently unaware that they had lost control of the Hulk; further incidents of this kind should be expected

Time distorted areas can lead to communication issues; time-codes should be broadcast with every transmission to minimise confusion

Calls for help and screams of death have been recorded during most assaults from forces not currently under attack; the effect this has on morale should be prepared for

Spatial distortions with the Hulk can allow enemy forces to bypass sections of the Hulk that are deemed otherwise impassable, and allied forces can become lost very easily inside them as well; constant checks are needed on any known distortions

The following may be encountered during searches:

Personal records, journals, etc from Imperial and Chaos forces may be located which provide tactical and strategic information about deployment of enemy forces; some records are purely personal, but should be collected anyway

Chaos altars, runesites, ritual areas, and other similar things may be uncovered in various places; investigation and destruction of these sites is ordered by the Inquisition

Ammunition from previous assaults has been known to survive intact and should be recovered where possible

Signs of battles on various scales (ranging from the corridor firefights with Chaos cultists through massed assaults by Astartes and right up to the footprints of an Imperator Titan and the blast channel carved out by the Battlefleet Serverus bombardments) may still be encountered

* * *

**Sample Mission: First Landings (Standard Tabletop Game)**

Deploying to hold a landing field for later forces is a vital task, especially within the confined spaces of a Space Hulk. During the initial assault on Khormire's Bane, Imperial forces had to take and hold multiple landing sites of this kind in order to allow the deployment of the remaining Imperial forces.

The deployment consisted of both Space Marines and Imperial Guard, and set them against the forces of Chaos that infested the Hulk.

**Objectives**

The Imperial player is aiming to deploy their forces and establish a beachhead so that later forces can drop in and begin to take the fight to the enemy. They must hold at least two thirds of the board by the time the rest of the forces are due to arrive.

The Chaos play is aiming to disrupt the deployment of the Imperial forces. To do this they must control two thirds of the board by the time the rest of the Imperial forces arrive.

**Deployment**

The board is divided into three segments, with each segment running the width of the board. Imperial forces deploy at one end whilst the Chaos forces are deployed in the third at the other end.

The Chaos forces may deploy infiltration units in the Contested zone during deployment.

The Imperial end should be set up to resemble an open area on the Hulk's surface whilst the Chaos end should be set up to indicate that it represents access to the interior of the Hulk.

**Reserves**

Any number of forces can be placed in reserve. They enter from the short edge at their end of the board.

**First Turn**

The players roll for the first turn as normal, representing the Imperial zeal and drive or the Chaos force's readiness in defence.

**Game Length**

The Imperial forces will arrive some time after the fifth turn. Starting at the fifth turn roll a single die. If the result is six then the Imperial forces arrive. Each round after the fifth roll again subtracting one from the target for each roll already made (so the Imperial forces arrive on a 5+ in the sixth round, a 4+ in the seventh, etc).

**Special Rules**

Low Ceiling: Due to the nature of the terrain Deep Striking units must arrive on the board in a conventional manner rather than by Deep Striking.

* * *

**Sample Campaign: Control the Hulk (Planetary Empires Campaign) Introduction**

During 783.M41 the Space Hulk Khormire's Bane came under attack from a Splinter Fleet of Hive Fleet Behemoth. The Tyranids fell on the Hulk and the Chaos forces within it swiftly, devouring and expanding as they went.

**Setup**

The area of play is set up in three boards.

The largest of these represents the majority of the surface and accessible routes on and around the Hulk. This contains all of the Hulk's Spaceports and Shield Generator tiles.

The second board is at least one layer smaller then the largest and represents the less accessible areas within the Hulk. This contains at least two thirds of the Hulk's Command Bastion and Manufactorum tiles.

The third board is made up of four tiles and represents the Splinter Fleet. This is made up entirely of Hive Fleet tiles (see below).

Chaos Forces deploy on the Hulk across the Surface tiles and one third of the Interior tiles.

Tyranid Forces control the Splinter Fleet and an equal number to tiles to the Chaos forces on the surface. They cannot control tiles within the interior during the initial setup.

Imperial Forces (if present) control four tiles within the Interior.

Control of specific tiles is listed below.

**Special Tiles**

Warp Engines: The Hulk possesses limited Warp Engines that can be used to influence its course and potentially drop it into the Warp. Chaos players start in control of the Warp Engines. There are five tiles which must be adjoining on the edge of the Surface board. These count as Power Stations.

Mass Driver: A massive cannon built into the surface of the Hulk, this represents the surest form of defence against incoming Tyranid forces. This is unclaimed to begin with. Chaos players in control of the Mass Driver may either prevent Tyranid forces from moving to the Hulk from the Hive Fleet or may attack the Hive Fleet directly.

Hive Fleet: The Hive Fleet tiles are represented by Hive City tiles and provide all of the benefits of these. These begin in Tyranid control.

**Special Rules**

Travel between boards: The Interior board is only accessible from the Surface. Likewise the Hive Fleet is only accessible from the Surface.

Mass Driver (attacking): The Mass Driver can be used to attack the Hive Fleet or interdict against incoming forces. During an attack the attacking player rolls a single die; on a six it hits the targeted tile, on less a direction die must be rolled and the shot scatters one tile in the indicated direction (including missing altogether). On a hit the defending player rolls a single die to beat the attacking roll; add +1 for the tile's shield generator and an additional +1 for each adjoining tile owned by the Tyranid player.

Mass Driver: (defending): The Mass Driver can be used to attack the Hive Fleet or interdict against incoming forces. During a defensive round the Tyranid player's forces on the Hulk receive no bonuses from the Hive Fleet. At any other time the forces receive the full benefits of the Hive Fleet's resources.

* * *

**Sample Mission: Deus Ex Terminatus (Tabletop scenario mission)**

One of the sets of Terminator armour left behind during the original assault on Khormire's Bane has been located and the Space Marines have been deployed to retrieve it.

Inquisitor Kestern Halward of the Ordo Xenos has given orders that the surface of the Hulk is to be purged in order to prevent the Tyranids escaping and making their way to the Forge World of Temparis Primis. Despite the limited time available to them the Space Marines push onwards in a desperate effort to retrieve their lost property before it is destroyed once and for all.

**Objectives**

A single suit of Terminator armour is in a central area of the map. The Space Marines forces must return this to their side of the board in order to win.

The Tyranids must prevent the Space Marines from retrieving the Terminator armour.

After ten rounds this entire area will be targeted by warships. Any units still present will be destroyed.

**Deployment**

The board is set up with large amounts of cover and definite paths. This is an interior map, meaning that Space Hulk tiles or similar pieces could be used. High walls (agreed beforehand between players) are assumed to be roofed over and are therefore impassable even using jump-packs or similar. Some gaps may be created which are impassable to vehicles or large creatures.

Space Marine forces enter from one side of the map. Tyranid forces enter from the opposite side.

**Reserves**

Both sides may deploy reserves as they wish. Space Marine forces may not Deep Strike and must enter play as with other units. Tyranids may Deep Strike through vents or tunnels indicated on the terrain.

**First Turn**

The players roll for the first turn as normal.

**Game Length**

The game lasts ten rounds. Any units still on the map at the end of that time count as fatalities at that point.

**Special Rules**

Reverence for the Relic: It requires an entire squad to carry the Terminator armour. Whichever squad is carrying the armour must move at half speed and cannot fire in any round when the armour is moved. They may respond if attacked.

**Victory Conditions**

The Space Marine player scores 1 kill point for each complete Tyranid squad destroyed before the end of the game. Additionally the Space Marine player gains ten points for managing to get the Terminator armour out of the board before time runs out.

The Tyranid player scores 1 kill point for each complete Space Marine squad destroyed either during the game or left on the board when the game ends. Additionally they score 1 kill point for each relic (Terminator armour other than the main set) still left on the board or otherwise destroyed.

* * *

**Sample Mission: Deus Ex Terminatus (Deathwatch RPG scenario) Back-story and Introduction**

One of the sets of Terminator armour left behind during the original assault on Khormire's Bane has been located and the Space Marines have been deployed to retrieve it.

Inquisitor Kestern Halward of the Ordo Xenos has given orders that the surface of the Hulk is to be purged in order to prevent the Tyranids escaping and making their way to the Forge World of Temparis Primis. Despite the limited time available to them the Space Marines push onwards in a desperate effort to retrieve their lost property before it is destroyed once and for all.

The players take on the role of one of the squads assigned to this mission. There is little time and they must hurry through the Hulk in order to find the Terminator and escape.

The squad is accompanied by a Servitor equipped to carry the armour once it has been located.

**Scene: Entry**

The entry of the Space Marines is by Drop Pod. Vehicles are unsuitable in the tunnels, which at least makes the likelihood of larger Tyranid genotypes unlikely as well. The squad may equip whatever armour and weapons they feel is necessary for the mission.

The entry point is guarded only by a handful of spore mines; these present no significant danger once they are destroyed, but will attempt to close quickly if the players are incautious enough to attract their attention.

Deep Auspex scans have revealed the route that the Space Marines must take. There is indication of blockages along some passages though, and each of the squads deployed has a different route laid out for them in order to maximise the chances of finding a viable route.

**Scene: Tunnel Encounters**

The GM rolls 1d against the following table to determine the encounters that the squad goes through on their way through the tunnels. Depending on squad experience and level this should be done three to five times in order to present a challenging situation.

Roll : Resulting Encounter

1 : 3d Genestealers and Broodlord

2 : 2d Genestealers

3 : 1dx2 Hormagaunts and 1 Warrior

4 : 1dx2+4 Chaos Cultists

5 : Terrain challenge (roll against Environment Challenge table below)

6 : There is no encounter; this section of tunnel was clear

Roll : Resulting Environment Challenge

1 : The tunnel is blocked and impassable; return to the first chamber and assist another squad with their route

2 : Gravity shift: this section is in zero gravity

3 : Submerged: the tunnel has flooded and two Swim tests are required to get through to the next section without being swept away

4 : Cave-in: roll Agility; anyone buried must be dug out

5 : Chasm: A bridge must be improvised using local materials

6 : There is no encounter; this section of tunnel was clear

**Scene: The Relic Chamber**

The Terminator armour sits in the middle of the chamber. Genestealers are already present and will attack quickly when the squad appears. If the squad enters cautiously then the Genestealers may be taken by surprise to begin with, but nothing more.

Once the immediate Tyranids are dealt with the squad must decide what to do next. They can wait for assistance from other squads, but there is still a definite threat of a final attack from the fleet to cleanse the area. Additionally calling for assistance is impossible; vox traffic has been erratic since landing, with messages coming through time-slipped anything up to half an hour in the future or past. There have even been echoes from previous missions that have been picked up.

Ultimately the squad needs to move. The servitor they brought with them can carry the Terminator armour at normal move whilst they form a guard around it.

If the players have suffered in the mission thus far the GM may choose to bring in a second squad to assist them; the second squad arrives late and some banter may be used based on character temperaments to indicate their mood at having been beaten to the prize.

**Scene: Tunnel Encounters**

The exit through the tunnels follows the same pattern as the run in, with the difference that the roll for encounters has a -1 on it (minimum 1). Any Terrain challenges should be handled as previously on the return journey in place of random challenges.

**Scene: Terminus**

Thunderhawks are inbound to retrieve the Space Marines and their cargo. A dozen Gargoyles are harassing the squads as they return to the extraction point though, and must be cleared out.

Additionally an assault by Raveners and Warriors with Hormagaunts is mounted as the Thunderhawk lands. The squad must provide cover as the Terminator armour is loaded into the Thunderhawk and the other squads board the transport, before leaving themselves, preferably without the Thunderhawk suffering significant damage in the process.

The landing area is large, with plenty of cover for both sides to make use of. Strategic shooting and use of grenades and special ammunition will be required in order to survive this. A squad that fails to work well together will be easily overwhelmed.

**GM Notes**

The scale of the encounters should be adjusted to reflect the specific capabilities of the squad and any house rules. How seriously to take the ticking clock of the impending attack is also a GM decision: it is possible that if the squad procrastinate for too long then they may be incinerated along with the Tyranids by the warships.

* * *

**Story Excerpt: The Opening Wound**

Bolter fire cut through the heretics as we pounded towards them. A cultist clad in a crude hazmat suit that leaked pus threw himself at me as I spun. I saw the three grenades that he carried immediately, the pins already removed and only his clutching arm preventing them from detonating.

I held back my fire, letting my bolter drop a bit as I released my grip on the chassis, before lashing out with my hand. I drove my thumb through the back of the cultist's hand as my fingers dug into his ribcage, pinning his arm in place for the vital second that it took me to haul him off the ground and hurl him the length of the chamber into the midst of his associates.

The explosions took out a dozen of their number for us and in the few seconds of relative silence that followed I took stock of my squad.

We were still at full strength, and mostly uninjured; Brother Andyre, who bore our heavy bolter, had taken a couple of hits to the feeder for his bolter and was clearing the damaged metalwork with muttered prayers to the Omnissiah. The lasguns and projectiles that the cultists were using were crude and no match for the might of Astartes armour.

"Brother Heywaer, do we have word from the rest of the taskforce?"

This was a problem, and one that I had no wish to persist in experiencing. The cultists were spread thinly within this as yet unnamed Hulk, and we had little chance of tracking them all down without co-ordinated action. Thus far though, the vox had been less than helpful in this regard.

Brother Heywaer had been particularly vexed by this. He bore our enhanced vox gear and auspex, in lieu of us having a Techmarine available to run such things. Brother Heywaer's minimal and reluctant schooling in the rituals required in order to bypass jamming and interference had not been up to the challenges presented by the Hulk. Several times he assured me that he had picked up transmissions that could not have happened, including transmissions that I had made myself, despite me having not made them.

"Still unchanged," Brother Heywaer reported. "I have partial contact with three squads of Blood Angels and possible contact with some of our Bothers. No one knows what the fate of anyone else is."

"This is foolish," Brother Feylas declared, tapping the trigger of his chainsword and spurring it into fits of life. "We cannot hope to proceed in this condition. We should return to the landing area and reconvene our forces there."

I was tempted to agree, but Brother Feylas had too often gotten on my nerves with his talk of regrouping before now. He was not a coward; I would never accuse him of that even in jest. But he sees no point in personal heroism, preferring the certainty of a massing of arms whenever it was possible.

I waited for a moment longer, considering, before casting an expectant look at Brother Heywaer. He shook his head dolefully, and reluctantly I decided that we had to move. "Find me our Brothers," I instructed. "We will regroup with others of our Chapter before we proceed, if only to exchange vox protocols."

This met with some kind of approval at least, even from Brother Feylas. We straightened ourselves out before pausing for long enough for Brother Heywaer to find the directions that we needed.

Even in the dim and dark light of the Hulk's interior some would say that a squad of Astartes would stand out. Ones clad as we were in dusty yellow and brown armour certainly shouldn't have been able to hide for long. But we are the Dusk Raiders; this is where we are at our best.

We take our name from the Legion that we once were; the Dusk Raiders we were named until we found our Primarch and he renamed us the Death Guard. Mortarion lead our Legion down the path to Chaos though, selling us out, or trying to.

"Trying to" is the key point. Nathaniel Garro escaped that fate with a handful of others from under the Primarch's own nose. One ship is never mentioned though. A ship, Warp-tossed and lost, drifted seven years into its own future. A crew made mostly of those who remembered the days before Mortarion took away their identity. A desperate battle to prove their loyalty to the Emperor in the face of their Legion's fall to Chaos.

Even to this day we are distrusted by some. We join this Chapter knowing that we may never be fully trusted, and this drives us all. We know our purity, and we will not let others take that from us.

We were called the Dusk Raiders because we attacked so frequently at dusk. The half-light is the place our best work is done. A Hulk is familiar ground even if we have never set foot inside one before.

Silence is another thing that we have mastered. The Mark VII armour that we are blessed to wear is far from being ungainly once you have mastered it fully, but the sight of a dozen Space Marines moving with a greater silence than a squad of Imperial Guardsmen could muster confounds even me sometimes.

I wouldn't have normally explained that. Many of our actions are loud and we have no problems with that. But people forget that an Astartes can be silent, even with over one thousand kilograms of armour and weapons.

Thus, it should come as less of a surprise when I mention that most of the squad had made it into the chamber before the daemons within it even realised that we were there. That the first of them was reduced to a mess of ichor and viscera by bolter fire before it had even managed to articulate its surprise beyond the widening of its eyes.

Brother Andyre came to the fore now, his heavy bolter thundering as it hurled spent casings into the air around us. Daemons tried to hurl themselves at us; the numbers were uncertain as others came in through doors from other parts of the Hulk. A couple of cultists even turned up, being cut down with no more thought from us than the daemons had been given.

One of the larger daemons weathered the storm of adamantine better than the rest; pieces of it were blown away, yet still it stood and still it came on. Even with three of us focusing our fire upon it the warp-spawned monstrosity refused to fall until it was mere metres from us. There it collapsed, its entrails and diseased flesh liquidating and flowing towards us like a sickly tide.

Brother Limaw rose hastily to his feet from where he had been on one knee at the front of our ranks and danced back a few steps, his movements with the grace of one well adjusted to the use of Aquila armour, stopping once the tide has ceased to follow him.

A laugh came from Brother Manstrar. Our squad veteran, who had yielded command to me on the basis of my actions in a previous campaign against the greenskins, had a paternal sense of humour when it came to the newer members of our squads like Limaw. "Afraid to get your toes wet Brother?"

Brother Limaw cast a look at Brother Manstrar that was somewhat wasted by the blank persona that his helm presented. "When I am certain that this gore will not eat through my armour and actually get at my toes, perhaps I will be willing to take a paddle in it all." He looked down at the sickly mess, which was steaming gently, but appeared disinclined to eat through the flooring at least.

"Brother Limaw is correct in his concern," I declared. "We should be cautious of such things in this place. Brother Heywaer, run a check to ensure the integrity of the flooring and our armour before we proceed further."

"Yes Brother," Heywaer responded, going to work.

That piece of work delegated, I turned my attention to the Guardsmen.

Oh yes, there were a couple of squads of Guardsmen in the chamber when we arrived.

They had barricaded themselves into a corner and had been holding off the daemons when we arrived. They looked freshly arrived to judge from the state of their barricade, and they coughed and gagged on the steam that rose from the remains of the daemons. I stepped closer to them, taking care not to step in the mess across the room in the process.

Some Astartes do not remember being Human, and disregard Humans with the kind of lack of interest that can only come from an inability to comprehend having any kind of shared nature with them.

I remember being Human. Sometimes. Bits of it. Nothing special, but there is enough for me to know that I was once one of them, and to give me an idea of their limits.

It also gives me an idea of what they feel when they set eyes on an Astartes in full armour.

"Thank you lord," one of them, marked as a sergeant managed to say before falling to a fit of coughing. "Praise the Emperor that you're here," he croaked after a moment. "We thought that we were done for."

"Our duty is not yet concluded," I declared to them all. "Are your men able to move now?"

"We can move enough to get clear of this warp-cursed stench," he declared boldly.

As he rallied his men I called Heywaer over. "Where do we go from here? I do not know the effect that these remains will have on the Guard."

"Plague daemons can kill long after their death," Heywaer agreed. He pointed to a doorway. "We should be able to move through to the next chamber; if I read the air-flow right that will put us downwind of the remains at least."

I nodded, signalling the squad to move through and clear the area. When Manstrar reported back that it was clear, I turned to the Guardsmen. "The air is clear in the next chamber. We will rest in there."

The sergeant nodded and began pushing the others to their feet. As they headed for the door though, we encountered an issue.

There had been rather a lot of daemons. And we had been liberal in laying down fire to end them. Many had been liquidated in the hail of bolter fire. And this room appeared to lack functional drainage. To put it bluntly the way was flooded.

It wasn't flooded for an Astartes, which was where the problem came from; the rest of my squad had jumped the flood easily enough without a second thought. But to the Guard it was an uncertain prospect at best, a distance that they would no doubt count as impossible.

For a moment I cast about, looking for some kind of appropriate material to use for a bridge of some kind. There wasn't anything really useful to work with though, and I was starting to consider other options when I heard something in the distance.

It was chanting. It was the foul words of Chaos cultists. And it was approaching quite fast. I estimated only moments before it was upon us.

"Warp take them," I cursed. "Brother Limaw!" I called to the Astartes standing on the other side of the flood of bile and gore. "Catch!"

I didn't have time to explain to the first Guardsman. I simply grabbed him and hurled him across to Brother Limaw who dropped his bolter onto the strap that ran over his shoulder and caught the startled Guardsman, dropping him onto his feet and shoving his gently towards the doorway even as the second of them arced over the pool.

The last of them was over the pool and I followed just as the chanting reached the doorway that we had entered through. Las beams punched into the doorway as I slide through it, signalling Brother Limaw to throw a frag grenade back at them as I passed him.

Brother Manstrar hung back as we began moving again, joining me in rearguard. "You and your games," he chuckled. "We'll have to remember Toss The Guard for later..."


End file.
